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Fred R. Coulter—December 11, 2021
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Greetings, everyone! Welcome to Sabbath services! This will be a special message covering the two goats of Lev. 16.
The reason that this has to be covered is because there are several people who are circulating doctrinal papers claiming that the two goats of Lev. 16 both represent Christ. That's based on the study by Charles H. Spurgeon, a Protestant minister at the turn of the last century, as well as some of the commentaries.
Please understand this about the commentaries: Since most of them are Sunday-keepers, or experts in Hebrew for the Old Testament—especially the Protestants—they know nothing about the Holy Days.
They believe that when you die you go to heaven. They don't believe in the resurrection; they do believe in the resurrection of Christ, but everybody else goes to heaven.
Even those in the Church of God can miss the meaning of the two goats in Lev. 16. The paper alleges that they both represent Christ and the one that is left alive does not represent Satan the devil, because—they claim—God would not allow evil to come before Him.
Let's look at what it says in the Scriptures and find out what the Truth actually is. Lev. 16 is for the Day of Atonement as we find in v 34.
Leviticus 16:2: "And the LORD said to Moses, 'Speak to Aaron your brother, that he does not come at all times into the sanctuary within the veil before the mercy seat, which is on the ark, so that he does not die, for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. Aaron shall come into the sanctuary this way…" (vs 2-3).
It's once a year on the Day of Atonement. Think about the blessing, grace and privilege that have of coming before God anytime we pray. Quite a difference!
"…with a young bull, for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. He shall put on the Holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches on his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen miter he shall be dressed. These are Holy garments…." (vs 3-4).
For us in the Church today, what are our Holy garments—which we haven't yet received—that we find in Rev. 19? That's the righteousness of the saints!
Verse 5: And he shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. And Aaron shall offer his young bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself and for his house" (vs 5-6). All the priests and all the Levites!
Now we come to the two goats; this is unusual. This is the only place where this kind of operation is given by God to do in the sanctuary.
Verse 7: "And he shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots on the two goats; one lot for the LORD and the other lot for Azazel" (vs 7-8).
Even the Jews say that Azazel is the name of a chief demon! Was Jesus ever associated with Azazel? Because the goat is taken out and left in the wilderness, some translate it 'the goat to be taken away.' Therefore, they say that this goat can also represent Christ. We will see!
Verse 9: "And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer it for a sin offering."
We will look at the details of the sin offering in just a bit.
Verse 10: "But the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive… [Why alive? We'll see in a little bit!] …before the LORD, to make an atonement upon it… [Why do that? We'll fin out a little later!] …and sent away into the wilderness for Azazel."
Then Aaron shall bring that in, sprinkle the blood and all of that. After he's done for the sin offering and the burnt offering for the priesthood and the whole house of Levi:
Verse 15: "Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people, and bring its blood inside the veil. And he shall do with that blood as he did with the blood of the young bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat. And he shall make an atonement for the sanctuary because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel and because of their transgressions in all their sins…." (vs 15-16).
Does all mean each and every one? Yes, it does!
"…And so he shall do for the tabernacle of the congregation, which remains with them in the midst of their uncleanness" (v 16).
Now, continuing on with the instructions for the atonement for the forgiveness of sin and the uncleaness of the children of Israel.
Verse 17: "And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goes in to make an atonement in the sanctuary until he comes out and has made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel." That includes everybody!
- When is sin forgiven?
- What happens to that sin?
- How does that figure in with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ?
- How does the second goat figure in?
Verse 18: "And he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make an atonement for it. And he shall take of the blood of the young bull and of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around"—the altar of burnt offerings out in front!
Verse 19: "And he shall sprinkle of the blood on it with his finger seven times and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel." That takes care of the uncleanness! Remember that it's uncleanness and all their sins!
Verse 20: "And when he has made an end of reconciling the sanctuary and the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, he shall bring the live goat."
Let's see what happens to the live goat. First of all, we will see the supposition that it represents Christ taking our sins into the wilderness! We will see that is incorrect!
Verse 21: "And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the sins of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away by the hand of a chosen man into the wilderness."
Verse 22: "And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities to a land in which no one lives. And he shall let the goat go in the wilderness."
- Why do that?
- When Jesus took upon Himself our sins, did He take them out into the wilderness to get rid of them?
The goat for the sacrifice represents Christ!
- How was sin condemned?
- Was it condemned by take them into the wilderness?
- How were they taken care of?
Romans 8:2: "Because the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has delivered me from the law of sin and death."
That is when we're baptize and receive the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit within us, we are delivered from the rule of Satan and sin over us!
The law of sin and death is not removed at that point. It's not removed until we die!
Verse 3: "For what was impossible for the Law to do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God having sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh…"—the same flesh as all human beings—Greek: 'homoiomati'—the sameness.
That meant that Jesus had to carry within His own body human nature. That's why He became human. With human nature comes the law of sin and death. But in order for Him to be the perfect sacrifice, He had to have the law of sin and death within Him, yet, never sin! That's the only way that there would be the perfect sacrifice for sin.
"…and for sin condemned sin in the flesh" (v 3). That is, He condemned sin in Jesus' flesh. Because He carried the law of sin and death, He died! We will see that He carried our sins. Therefore, He had to have the law of sin and death. That's how great that His physical life was, and that's how perfect that it was!
Because of having the law of sin and death in Him, He was able to be tempted like we are. Think about this: If Jesus could not be tempted, or let's say: IF it was impossible for Jesus to be tempted, and impossible for Him to sin, THEN everything He went through was for nothing. Think about that!
Hebrews 4:14: "Having, therefore, a great High Priest, Who has passed into the heavens… [resurrected from the dead, and ascended to heaven] …Jesus the Son of God, we should hold fast the confession of our faith."
Notice v 15 carefully, because remember that Rom. 2 said that God condemned sin in the flesh, and also death in the flesh with His resurrection!
Verse 15: "For we do not have a High Priest Who cannot empathize with our weaknesses, but One Who was tempted in all things… [everything that we go through] …according to the likeness of our own temptations; yet, He was without sin." That's how God condemned sin in the flesh!
Since He carried our sins within Him, figuratively and literally—because as Creator of all mankind if He took on the law of sin and death and never sinned, and was perfect and His blood was the perfect sacrifice—then that applies to all who repent and come to Christ for salvation. That includes:
- all of those from the beginning of the Church
- all of the patriarchs before the Church
- all during the Millennium
- all of those during the Great White Throne Judgment who had not committed the unpardonable sin
As Creator, His one sacrifice covers all! When sins are forgiven, they are forgiven. Let's see where:
1-Peter 2:21: "For to this you were called because Christ also suffered for us…" With everything He went through: the beatings, scourging, everything!
"…leaving us an example, that you should follow in His footsteps Who committed no sin…" (vs 21-22).
Just a Paul wrote, He was without sin, though He had the law of sin and death within Him!
"…neither was guile found in His mouth; Who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when suffering, He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him Who judges righteously" (vs 22-23).
Think about that for a minute! The whole world was being judged righteously through Christ!
Verse 24 tells us where Christ bore our sins. Those who believe that the goat of Azazel was the goat to take away our sins and leave them in the wilderness are wrong!
Was Christ crucified in the wilderness? No! He was crucified outside the city of Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives right near a special altar called The Miphkad Altar where all the sin offerings of the animal sacrifices were brought to be burned to ashes. That's where He was sacrificed!
Verse 24: "Who Himself bore our sins within His own body on the tree…"
So, having the law of sin and death within Him, and being the Creator of all human beings, that is the sacrifice that is applied to all, as I have explained: past, present and future.
"…so that we, being dead to sins, may live unto righteousness; by Whose stripes you were healed" (v 24).
- Where did Jesus take our sins? To the cross!
- Where was the blood shed? Part was shed where He was scourged! The other part was right at the 'stauros' or cross where He was crucified!
- Where did the blood go? Into the ground!
When Jesus was resurrected, some other people say that He carried our sins to heaven. God doesn't want our sins in heaven! At the Throne is the Holy Righteous God, the four living creatures and the 24 elders, where there is Righteousness and Holiness! Sin has no place there! Jesus did not bear our sins up to heaven or out to the wilderness!
What does the second goat represent? If it represents Satan—which it does—does Satan have access to God? If he does, that means whoever wrote or said that God would not allow sin to come into His presence… that is the goat that is alive was not Satan.
Here is something that we need to learn; very important.
- Who is Satan?
- What does he represent?
2-Corinthians 4:3: "But if our Gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those who are perishing; in whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe…" (vs 3-4).
- Is blinding people a sin? Yes!
- Does it cause them to sin? Yes!
Satan the devil is the one who does it! That means that he's responsible also for the sins of the people.
Go clear back to Adam and Eve. There was no sin until Satan entered and they believed his lie. Their believing the lie was the sin on their part, and Satan's part was deceiving and lying to them. How is God going to take care of that?
"…lest the Light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (v 4). Satan is the one who blinds!
- What happens when he blinds them?
- Are people aware that this is happening?
Look at it right now with Christmas coming up!
Revelation 12:9: "And the great dragon was cast out, the ancient serpent who is called the Devil and Satan, who is deceiving the whole world…"
When he deceives them, they sin! If they repent of their sins, that takes care of their sins. But what about Satan's sins?
Ephesians 2:1: "Now, you were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you walked in times past according to the course of this world…" (vs 1-2). We're called to come out of the world!
"…according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit… [of Satan the devil] …that is now working within the children of disobedience."
Think about that! Satan is projecting his spirit, and the demons with him, to people so that they stay in sin! There's not just the sin of the people involved, but there's the sin of Satan and the demons involved.
Verse 3: "Among whom also we all once had our conduct in the lusts of our flesh, doing the things willed by the flesh and by the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as the rest of the world."
Human sin, Satan's sin. Does it talk about in Ezek. 28 that Lucifer—the light bringer—was perfect in his way until sin was found in him? Yes! Since Satan is a spirit being he cannot die.
- Is there any blood sacrifice for Satan?
- Can Satan be forgiven of his sins?
Well, he certainly has plenty of chance to repent if that ever were. But, no, Satan has been left on this earth… Let's see what Satan says about the whole world; then we'll answer the question: Does Satan have access to the Throne of God?
Luke 4:3[transcriber's correction]: "Then the devil said to Him, 'If You are the Son of God, command that this stone become bread.' But Jesus answered him, saying, 'It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God."' Then the devil led Him up into a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, 'I will give You all this authority, and the glory of them all; for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I desire. Therefore, if You will worship me in my presence, all things shall be Yours.' But Jesus answered and said to him, 'Get behind Me, Satan; for it is written, "You…"'" (vs 3-8).
This is not talking about Satan worshipping God, because he won't worship God. Jesus is quoting the Scripture for men and women; that you, as individual person
"…shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve"'" (v 8).
Job 1 answers the question: Does Satan have access to God, and before His Throne? Yes! Therefore, this shows that the live goat of Lev. 16 that was not sacrificed, but led out into the wilderness—
Where did Jesus meet Satan the devil? In the wilderness!
—did not represent Christ! Satan does have access to God and has conversations with God. So, the removal into the wilderness depicts the final judgment of Satan the devil.
Job 1:6: "Now, there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD. And Satan also came among them. And the LORD said to Satan…" (vs 6-7). God talking to Satan!
The truth is, Satan cannot do anything without the permission of God. He must get the permission of God first.
Verse 7: "And the LORD said to Satan, 'From where do you come?' Then Satan answered the LORD and said, 'From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.'"
To do what? To entice people into sin!
Verse 8: "And the LORD said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil?' And Satan answered the LORD and said, 'Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land'" (vs 8-10). Satan knows all of that! Satan knows when God blesses!
Think about this conversation and how stupid is for someone to say that God would not have someone evil like Satan come into His presence. Think on that!
The live goat cannot under any circumstances represent Christ taking away our sins, because He brought our sins to the cross and there they are atoned for! No place else!
Verse 11—Satan continues: "But put forth Your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse You to Your face." And the LORD said to Satan, 'Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only do not lay your hand upon him.' And Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD" (vs 11-12).
Look at all the sin that Satan did! Yes, the sons of Job were sinning, but the sacrifices that Job was offering couldn't atone for their sins. Because unless there's repentance, there's no atonement! Job had to learn that just because he was righteous, didn't make him equal to God or as righteous as God. That's the whole story of the book of Job!
Look at all that Satan did to destroy Job's family and everything that he had came down to nothing. Messengers came in and told Job that his sons had died and the their houses were burned up, the oxen are gone and fire has come down from heaven. So, Satan has power to call down fire from heaven. Never thought of that? Read Rev. 13!
So, when all of that was, v 20: "And Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground and worshiped. And he said, 'Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.' In all this Job did not sin, nor charge God foolishly" (vs 20-22).
Job 2:1: "And again it came to pass on a day that the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD. And Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD. And the LORD said to Satan, 'From where do you come?' And Satan answered the LORD and said, 'From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.' And the LORD said unto Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil? And still he is holding fast to his integrity, although you moved Me against him to destroy him without cause'" (vs 1-3).
Whose sin is that? That is Satan's sin! Look at this conversation; this was not on a telephone or text message. This was face-to-face.
Verse 4: "And Satan answered the LORD and said, 'Skin for skin, yea, all that a man has he will give for his life. But indeed put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse You to Your face.'" (vs 4-5).
Have you ever analyzed that? Satan said to God, "…put forth Your hand…"
- Did God put forth His hand to do it?
or
- Did He use Satan the devil to do it with God's permission?
God used Satan the devil to do it, with His permission!
Verse 6: "And the LORD said to Satan, 'Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.'"
You know the rest of the story. Job got boils from the top of his head to bottom of his feet. He had to learn the lesson, and the lesson of Job is this:
You cannot take the righteousness of God to yourselves as if you owned it! It is a gift of God by the love and mercy of God!
All the sins of all the world that Satan has caused will be laid upon him and he will get his final judgment as pictured as the goat led away to the wilderness. Go on line and listen, watch and/or read any Day 7 of the Feast of Tabernacles that shows the ultimate fate of Satan and the demons is the blackest darkness forever and ever! Confined in the blackest darkness represents the greatest possible torment.
But also an eternal witness to anyone who would sin! So, God being a just God will put all the sins of Satan that he's brought upon human beings upon him. All the sins that people have done because of that, when they repent because they're free moral agents, God will forgive!
That's the Scriptural account of the two goats in Lev. 16. One for the Lord—as the Lord said—and one for Azazel, who represents Satan the devil, the god of this world and causes all to sin!
We have one final thing that we need to show that Satan has access to God.
Revelation 12:9: "And the great dragon was cast out, the ancient serpent who is called the Devil and Satan…"
We know that before the Millennium begins, the Day of Atonement pictures that that goat is led away into the wilderness, but it represents Satan going into the abyss with all the demons. Then after the Millennium is over, and he entices those incorrigible wicked to come and attack Jerusalem, he will be removed and put into the blackest darkness forever!
"…who is deceiving the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. And I heard a great voice in heaven say, 'Now has come the salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ because the accuser of our brethren has been cast down, who accuses them day and night before our God'" (vs 9-10)—just like the book of Job says!
Verse 11: "But they overcame him through the blood of the Lamb… [and forgiveness of sin] …and through the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto death."
There can be no other conclusion! You cannot ascribe the goat to Azazel who was kept alive and not sacrificed, but removed into the wilderness as something that Christ has done to take away our sins. He carried our sins to the cross! That's how far they were carried.
I've covered this in great detail so that we know what the Truth of the Scriptures really is. Remember, the 7th day of the Feast of Tabernacles, the end of the Millennium pictures the sentencing and judgment against Satan the devil for all that he has done.
He is removed before the second resurrection for all of those who have not committed the unpardonable sin, because they have already lived one life under him. So, there's no use having them live a second life under Satan. They will be the same as those during the Millennium. Satan won't be around during the Millennium, because we know that he will be in jail—lock him up!
Then after the Millennium, in that last war against Jerusalem and the saints, he's removed forever with all the demons with him! Then the Last Great Day begins.
Hope this clarifies it for you all!
Scriptural References:
- Leviticus 16:2-10, 15-22
- Romans 8:2-3
- Hebrews 4:14-15
- 1 Peter 2:21-24
- 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
- Revelation 12:9
- Ephesians 2:1-3
- Luke 4:3-8
- Job 1:6-12, 20-22
- Job 2:1-6
- Revelation 12:9-11
Scriptures referenced, not quoted:
- Leviticus 16:34
- Revelation 19
- Ezekiel 28
- Revelation 13
FRC:bo
Transcribed: 12/10/21
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